Fishing Village with Sailing Shadows

Song Maojin (active c. 1580–1620) was a painter from Songjiang (near Shanghai). He learned from Song Xu, a famous artist of the time, but also studied ancient masters of the Song and Yuan dynasties. He was highly respected by Dong Qichang, the greatest art critic of his day.

This large scroll, painted in 1611 on silk, shows Song’s talent for creating vast, livable landscapes. A critic once said that Song’s paintings are “rich in valleys” — meaning he excelled at arranging mountains, water, and space.

On the left, steep cliffs rise. A river winds through the scene, carrying many small sailboats. At the foot of the mountains, houses and pavilions nestle among trees. In the foreground, two scholars sit by the water, deep in conversation. It feels like a paradise — peaceful and far from the busy world.

This painting perfectly expresses Song Maojin’s ideal: using the free brushwork of Yuan dynasty painting to describe the grand forms of Song dynasty landscape. It is both old and new, both learned and lively.